


Purpose

by Dragonlingdar



Category: Octopath Traveler (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-08
Updated: 2019-07-08
Packaged: 2020-06-24 16:18:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19727260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragonlingdar/pseuds/Dragonlingdar
Summary: After her revenge was complete, what was left for Primrose?





	Purpose

**Author's Note:**

  * For [siderealOtaku](https://archiveofourown.org/users/siderealOtaku/gifts).



> This is fulfilling your request for the characters of Olberic, Erhardt, and Primrose. I hope you enjoy!
> 
> As an aside, I am not your assigned creator; nevertheless, I hope you are satisfied by my offering as well.
> 
> Because I come from the Dark Ages: Nothing Octopath Traveler belongs to me.

After defeating Simeon and putting her sorrow and vengeance to rest, Primrose had found herself listless. She had no drive, no purpose, even if she felt lighter for it. She had found a job for Arianna; she had visited both Yusufa's grave and her father’s. What was there left for a disgraced and damaged heiress to do? So, she wandered, following no set path, finding an odd sort of peace in purposelessness.

Primrose was leisurely wandering the Riverlands when she was brought up short by someone hailing her.

She turned to face the voice and saw Olberic--along with the man who had ‘saved’ Olberic in Riverford--walking down a path perpendicular to her own. She gave Olberic a small smile and nodded at him, waiting for them to reach her.

“Primrose, it is a pleasure seeing you again,” Olberic said.

“What brings you this far from home?” Primrose asked, her eyes sliding to the blonde who stood at his side.

“Cobbleston no longer needs me, and Erhardt felt the same for Wellspring,” Olberic said, catching her glance. “We decided to search out new places where we could do some good. The experiences we had as a group have shown that there are still many in need of protection and assistance.” After a pause, he asked, “What has you still wandering?”

Primrose was silent for a long time before she sighed and said, “I don’t know what to do now. Now that Simeon and the Crows are dead, my family avenged...what do I have? I’ve been searching for that answer in my travels, I suppose.”

There was a flash of _understanding_ in Erhardt’s eyes--not sympathy, but a true and intimate knowledge of what she was feeling. 

“Well, the next town isn’t too far,” Olberic said. “Perhaps you can join us as we walk? It is always safer to travel in numbers.”

“And, perhaps, two people who used to be directionless can help another suffering the same malady find their own path,” Erhardt added. 

Primrose held Erhardt’s striking green eyes for a long moment before nodding. “It sounds as good a plan as any.”

Primrose was amused to find herself walking between them, and, instead of feeling smothered, found herself feeling _safe_. She hadn’t realized how lonely she was after their group had gone their separate ways until she found herself with others once more.

 _Perhaps, now that my mission is completed, I need no longer be alone,_ Primrose mused. 

“After your theatrics at Riverford, I’m not surprised to see you traveling with Sir Olberic,” Primrose said after catching Erhardt’s attention.

Olberic chuckled as Erhardt scowled. 

“It wasn’t _theatrics,_ ” Erhardt said. “I wasn’t sure if Olberic would need my help or not, and I didn’t want to interfere if he didn’t.”

“Still, swooping in at the eleventh hour to save him and the remaining villagers from being killed isn’t exactly _subtle_ ,” Primrose pointed out.

“Subtlety wasn’t the point,” Erhardt replied. “As I said, I only stepped in because Olberic was in dire straits.” 

“She’s not _wrong,_ Erhardt,” Olberic added. “And then vanishing on me with only a note the morning after…”

Erhardt’s scowl deepened as color brushed his cheeks.

“Have you run into anything remarkable in your travels since, Olberic?” Primrose asked. It wasn’t good to fluster Erhardt _too_ much if she wanted his story out of him. 

“No,” Olberic said. “But, after what we all went through, perhaps the gods are being merciful.”

“We certainly did enough of their work for them,” Primrose murmured. 

“Indeed.”

“One of the best ways to recover from emptiness is to build something,” Erhardt commented after a long silence. “Destruction leaves room for creation.”

“How poetic,” Primrose commented, to which Erhardt shrugged.

“What he _means_ ,” Olberic said, “is that in the place where you revenge once burned cold, the best way to fill it is to build something, to find purpose in nurturing something instead of tearing it down. Erhardt and I both found our purpose again in protecting the common folk, in lending our swords to the aid of others.”

“I have no sword, metaphorically or otherwise,” Primrose quipped. “But...perhaps you have a point.”

“Of course I do,” Erhardt drawled.

“ _Erhardt_ ,” Olberic sighed.

Primrose didn’t bother to hide her smile before she grew thoughtful. “Perhaps I can rebuild Noblecourt.”

“Oh?”

“House Azelhart isn’t a _dead_ line yet--at least, not until I myself am dead,” Primrose mused. “And though my home may be empty, that does not mean it, and Noblecourt, can’t yet be restored.”

“A worthy cause,” Olberic commented.

“A challenge,” Erhardt agreed.

Primrose stopped walking, which the two warriors did as well. 

“In that case, will you accompany me to Noblecourt? The road there is long and I wouldn’t mind the company.”

The two men looked at each other, and Primrose was amused by the entire conversation they held with just a glance before Erhardt’s shoulders dropped and Olberic nodded. 

“Will you let us be your vassals?” Olberic asked.

“Pardon?” Primrose asked.

“He wants to know if you’ll let us freeload in exchange for being your knights and bodyguards while you rebuild Noblecourt,” Erhardt clarified.

“Erhardt.”

 _I have a feeling that I am going to enjoy their dynamic far too much,_ Primrose thought as she kept herself from smiling. 

“It would certainly be...ironic, in a manner. The knights of a lost country helping the heiress to a fallen house.”

“I do know how to do more than start and end fights, Primrose,” Olberic said. “It is merely that such is what I am best at.”

“I would disagree with that statement, but what you _are_ actually best at shouldn’t be mentioned in polite company,” Erhardt drawled.

The sharp, slightly embarrassed look that Olberic treated Erhardt to made Primrose actually _chuckle_.

“And, yes, we will attend to you while we journey to Noblecourt,” Olberic said. “Should we stop by Stonegard to see if Arianna wishes to assist you as well?”

Primrose shook her head. “No, leave her be. Once I am able to actually _employ_ her, I will send word to her. Until then, it is best that she stays where she is.”

Olberic nodded slightly. “The best way to get to Noblecourt from here is through Rippletide and Atlasdam. Do you want to visit Tressa or Cyrus along the way?”

Primrose laughed softly, but shook her head. “No, I’d rather...I’d actually rather get down to the work of rebuilding Noblecourt as soon as possible.”

The sentiment actually surprised Primrose. 

_How quickly I went from directionless to having a purpose!_ She thought, amused with herself.

Erhardt nodded as Olberic said, “Then we shall plan as we walk.”

“Primrose and I will plan as we walk. You just make sure nothing surprises us,” Erhardt said, his comment directed at Olberic. “I love you, but your tactical skills are occasionally lacking.”

“I can’t imagine you will be much help either,” Olberic replied, fond irritation in his voice. “But, very well. You two converse and I will make sure we are all safe.”

Erhardt came up beside Primrose as Olberic took point in front of them. The affectionate sigh from Erhardt made Primrose smirk.

“Enjoying the view?” she asked coyly.

“Absolutely,” Erhardt responded. “However, I _was_ serious. Olberic’s heart is always in the right place, but his manner of dealing with matters is both more forthright and underhanded than is necessary. You and I will work well together, if only by annoying each other enough to get things _done_ instead of agonizing over whether or not it is the _right_ thing to do.”

Primrose smiled faintly. 


End file.
